1_To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God_. As to the form of salutation, it were superfluous to speak. This only it is necessary to notice — that by a _Church in God and Christ _is meant one that has not merely been gathered together under the banner of faith, for the purpose of worshipp... [ Continue Reading ]
3_To give thanks_. He begins with commendation, that he may have occasion to pass on to exhortation, for in this way we have more success among those who have already entered upon the course, when without passing over in silence their former progress, we remind them how far distant they are as yet f... [ Continue Reading ]
4_So that we ourselves glory in you_. He could not have bestowed higher commendation upon them, than by saying that he sets them forward before other Churches as a pattern, for such is the meaning of those words: — _We glory in you in the presence of other Churches_. For Paul did not boast of the fa... [ Continue Reading ]
5_A demonstration of the righteous judgment of God_. Without mentioning the exposition given by others, I am of opinion that the true meaning is this — that the injuries and persecutions which innocent and pious persons endure from the wicked and abandoned, shew clearly, as in a mirror, that God wil... [ Continue Reading ]
6_To appoint affliction_. We have already stated why it is that he makes mention of the vengeance of God against the wicked — that we may learn to rest in the expectation of a judgment to come, because God does not as yet avenge the wicked, while it is, nevertheless, necessary that they should suffe... [ Continue Reading ]
7_When the Lord shall be manifested_. Here we have a confirmation of the foregoing statement. For as it is one of the articles of our faith, that Christ will come from heaven, and will not come in vain, faith ought to seek the end of his coming. Now this is — that he may come as a Redeemer to his ow... [ Continue Reading ]
8_Who will inflict vengeance_. That he may the better persuade believers that the persecutions which they endure will not go unpunished, he teaches that this also involves the interests of God himself, inasmuch as the same persons that persecute the pious are guilty of rebellion against God. Hence i... [ Continue Reading ]
9_. Everlasting destruction from the face_. He shews, by apposition, what is the nature of the punishment of which he had made mention — destruction without end, and an undying death. The perpetuity of the death is proved from the circumstance, that it has the glory of Christ as its opposite. Now, t... [ Continue Reading ]
10_When he shall come to be sanctified_. As he has hitherto discoursed as to the punishment of the wicked, he now returns to the pious, and says that Christ will come, that he may be _glorified _in them; that is, that he may irradiate them with his glory, and that they may be partakers of it. “Chris... [ Continue Reading ]
11_On which account we pray always_. That they may know that they need continual help from God, he declares that he prays in their behalf. When he says _on this account_, he means, in order that they may reach that final goal of their course, as appears from the succeeding context, _that he would fu... [ Continue Reading ]
12_That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified_. He calls us back to the chief end of our whole life — that we may promote the Lord’s glory. What he adds, however, is more especially worthy of notice, that those who have advanced the glory of Christ will also in their turn be glorified i... [ Continue Reading ]